Michal Neuvirth honors late Flyers owner with mask

Ed Snider's portrait, silhouette featured

Goalie Michal Neuvirth's new mask will pay homage to the late Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider.

Neuvirth's mask, designed by Swedish-based goalie mask designer David Gunnarsson, has Snider's likeness on the left side. A logo with the silhouette of Snider's profile embedded in the Flyers crest, created by artist David Wilkinson after Snider died of bladder cancer April 11, is also portrayed beneath the script-written words "A Flyer Forever."

"[Neuvirth] wanted it transformed into an epic tribute to the one and only Mr. Flyers himself, Ed Snider," Gunnarsson said in a Facebook post. "I wanted this to be truly special; Put a lot of thoughts into every detail."

Snider had owned the Flyers since their inception in 1967. He helped build the organization's only championship teams in 1973-74 and 1974-75.

The top of the mask has the Flyers logo, and its right side features a drawing of the Strekov Castle, a lookout post in Neuvirth's hometown of Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic.

This is the second straight season Neuvirth has dedicated his mask to a Philadelphia sports legend. Last season, his face protector included images of Rocky Balboa, the fictional Philadelphia-based boxer played by Sylvester Stallone in the "Rocky" movies.